e, Di; nothing will make you stop, nothing will make you
break your word?" said little Orion once to her.

"What I pwomise I do," replied Diana, with dignity.

And so the hours flew by, and at last the time arrived when the
children were to appear before the footlights.

The huge circus tent was packed to the highest gallery. There was, in
short, not standing room in the audience part of the house. Uncle Ben,
in the highest spirits, was darting here and there behind the wings,
giving directions, gesticulating, ordering, rearranging. Little Diana
flew up to him and took his hand.

"What is you 'cited about?" she asked. "Is you fwightened 'bout
anything?"

"No, little gal, no--that is, provided you and your brother do your
parts well."

"We has pwomised," said Diana, with great firmness; "you needn't be
fwightened; we has pwomised."

The children were to appear as the last item of the first part of the
performance. Uncle Ben felt that on them really turned the success of
the evening. At last the crucial moment arrived. Two beautiful horses
were led into the circus, and immediately afterwards little Diana,
holding Orion by the hand, skipped on to the stage. She came lightly
forward, almost up to the footlights, dropped a somewhat pert little
courtesy, turned round, and, taking Orion's hand, danced up to where
the two horses were impatiently pawing the ground. Uncle Ben, with
his big whip in his hand, dressed in evening clothes, was standing at
one side. A man came forward to help Diana to mount Pole Star--another
gave his hand to Orion.

"'Member, Orion, you has pwomised, and it all apends," said Diana, in
a low, but very clear, voice.

The little fellow looked at her. Her spirited action, the splendid
color in her cheeks, the glow of excitement in her great big eyes,
inspired him. He would not ride for those horrid people who were
crowding all the seats in front, those horrid, terrible people who
seemed to rise from the floor to the ceiling. He did not care anything
about those faces, those cruel, staring eyes, those smiling lips; but
he did care for Diana. He would ride his best for her.

"Steady, G'eased Lightning," said the little girl; "you's to be good
horse, 'member. Now, Pole Star, beauty, darlin', do just what Diana
wants."

The horses began to canter forward, going briskly and swiftly side by
side. Greased Lightning's coal-black eye was fixed upon Diana as she
sat on Pole Star's back. Pole Star fel